Three P’s of research

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C. N. Yang, a famous physicist (Yang-Mills theory, Yang-Lee theory awarded Nobel Prize 1957, Yang-Baxter equation), said in 1986 that he believes there are three P’s in research: Perception, Persistence, and Power. All three factors are necessary, but perception and power are the more important. Persistence will come naturally with perception and power.

Yang always emphasized to his students the importance of intuition and that intuition can be sharpened. […] When one finds one’s intuition to contradict new phenomena, new principles, or new knowledge, that is when one has an opportunity to sharpen or improve one’s intuition. Understanding the origin of the contradiction would allow one greater intuition.